News

Amendments to Water Regulations 2008

On 10 May 2012, the Governor-General amended the water information provisions of the Water Regulations 2008.

Changes have been made to each of the ten water information categories to enhance the quality and usefulness of water information received by the Bureau.

Most of the changes will take effect on 5 July 2012, except for the amendment relating to a new Person Category (Category J – Owners or Operators of Hydrologically Significant Sites) which will not come into effect before 2013.

The amendments were drafted following consultation undertaken in 2011. Many of the comments received through this consultation were incorporated into the amendments.

On 23 March 2012, World Meteorological Day, the Bureau officially released its updated and improved Australian temperature dataset.

Known as the Australian Climate Observations Reference Network – Surface Air Temperature (ACORN-SAT) the new dataset was developed to monitor and analyse long-term climate variability and change in Australia.

Twelve hundred flood warnings and watches, 2350 flood predictions and more than 6500 property evacuation orders: these are some of the staggering numbers from the widespread flooding in New South Wales since November 2011.

The 2011–12 La Niña ended in March, following the second successive summer in which La Niña contributed to significant rain and flooding across many parts of Australia.

The period from April 2010 to March 2012 was Australia’s wettest two-year period ever recorded. Despite its demise, ocean temperatures around parts of Australia remain very warm, and hence above-average rainfall is still forecast for some regions.

Big picture for the Great Barrier Reef in sight

Snapshot from the near real-time hydrodynamic model of the Great Barrier Reef showing sea-surface salinity and surface currents. Image provided by CSIRO

The Great Barrier Reef is set to be seen in a new way. eReefs is an innovative project that will allow people to find information about why and how the Reef is changing and what could happen into the future.

eReefs is a collaborative project that will provide for the Reef information akin to that provided for weather. It will span the entire Reef from catchment to ocean, aid decision-making, and improve communication and reporting using pictures and maps.

eReefs will provide interactive information at scales and detail previously unavailable. It is a significant step in building comprehensive, national coastal information systems.